The Decent Films Guide rates films for age appropriateness based on content, from Kids & up to Teens & up to Adults. Any of these ratings may be modified by an asterisk (*), indicating discernment required. Profoundly objectionable films are rated No one.

As with all the ratings, the age-appropriateness rating is an index of opinion, not a statement of fact or article of faith. Readers are encouraged to read the reviews critically and arrive at their own conclusions.

Because children and families differ so widely, no age-based system can offer more than approximations and generalities. For this reason, the age-appropriate rating is a broad, simple one. This necessarily puts a greater burden on parents actively to evaluate the appropriateness of each film for their own children, which is how it must be.

At the same time, at each rating level some effort has been made to distinguish films that will be widely appropriate for the vast majority of viewers at that level from films that may be appropriate for many viewers at that level, but which could be disturbing or confusing to some. Those judged to require a particular level of discernment, either from the audience or from parents choosing films for their children, are marked with an asterisk.

Note that the age-appropriateness rating does not indicate the target audience of the film, nor how worthwhile the film might be for a particular audience. It simply considers what sort of content is broadly appropriate for a given age level.

In other words, a film rated kids and up is not necessarily a family film and may not be of the slightest interest to young audiences. (Users looking for films to watch with their children should search for family films using on the Reviews page.) What the kids and up rating is meant to indicate is that the film can be screened with children in the room without fear of inappropriate content (though this is only a generalization; not all parents will agree regarding all films).

Likewise, a film rated for adults is simply one that contains nothing that would make it morally unacceptable for adults at large to watch the film. It doesnt mean that the film is recommended for adults, nor that some adults wont find the film objectionable. Here, again, adults will have to make critical decisions based on the content of the review and their own principles.